You say "1000 feet" in Spanish and "100 feet" in English...
Are pilots the intended target? If so, they will recognise the altimeter even without words and numbers.
If the "1" stands for "1000", why not replace the first "I" (the "MIL" one)?
Even better, why not insert it in the "M"?

There's really no way to go in the direction we've seen as of recent without ripping off the 1 Million logo.

But if that weren't enough to convince you, I'd have to ask if it even makes sense now to have a 1 after "a?"

This is no longer the word you want us to read. It's a-1-milpies. (note the original concept you're "referencing" did not read as "million," but "1 million.") So it's not the execution stage where this is failing, it's the initial concept. You can't create a good logo no matter how well executed if the concept isn't there.